We are the insurgents...

There is a war going on for your mind.

In one hand there is hope, prosperity, strength, health and success.

In the other hand there is despair, poverty, weakness, malady and failure.

All of these are choices. We choose the beaten path, or we choose the path less traveled. Every second, every minute, daily, weekly, monthly and yearly we choose. "It's too hard. I can't. He's better, stronger and smarter than I am. I'm too tired, it's too cold or too hot." It's not that you can't. It's that you won't.

We believe that we must train our bodies, but what about our minds? The mind is the most powerful tool that we as humans have. It can overcome any adversity, push through any pain, and achieve the greatest accomplishments, if only we let it.

How often do you train your mind? Do you read? Do you think? Do you plan?

Training the mind is not an easy undertaking... quite the opposite. It is one of the most challenging things anyone can do. It takes an iron will and the process can last a lifetime.

We must recognize when our ego speaks to us, telling us to stop, to slow down and give up. Here is the important part: Don't judge the voice. Acknowledge it, see it for what it is, and then say: "Fuck You" and push past it.

Nothing can stand in my way except for my mind.

Time to revisit my goals

It's time to revisit my goals. If you have never set goals for yourself, it is one of the most inspiring and life-affirming things that you can do and I highly recommend it. It is not easy, however. If you have never done it, I highly recommend listening to Brian Tracy's The Psychology of Achievement. EXTREMELY powerful stuff.

Goals must be realistic, specific and powerful. You must write them down. You must own them and set out a specific timeline by when they will be realized. Where do you see yourself in 10 years - 20 years - 50 years?

Start with where you want to be; who you want to be and then work back to plan out each and every step you will take to arrive there. Then: DO IT. Goals are nothing if action is not taken.

Development is a process. Mental, emotional, spiritual and physical growth takes place over time. You cannot expect to achieve your most difficult goals while taking the path of least resistance... Be ready to invest everything you have: time, money, emotions and willpower.

Are you ready to develop? You cannot develop others without first developing yourself. You cannot lead people where you have never been. You cannot help others if you first do not help yourself and prepare yourself for the hardships that will come with these trials and errors.

The quicker you fail, the quicker you will find success.

Just some thoughts.

Hittin' PR's baby!!!

For the past two months or so my diet has been... well shady at best. I loke to consider myself 100% Paleo (my goal) but I haven't been weighing or measuring food, and I have unfortunately let cheat meals or snacks become the norm. This was highlighted when I started food logging again for the (coming up on a month now).

That being said, I have been hitting all PR's, and I have been feeling stronger and more fit than ever. I am not promoting letting mine or anyone else's diet become slack, or choosing less healthy food options over their more obvious alternatives. I am merely telling my story.

One reason I feel this is happening is that I have been crossfitting now for a year. 1 year!! This first year has given me my base of strength and conditioning. Some of you might say: 1 year just to get a "base" of strength and conditioning??" YES! 1 year.

One year of lifting and running and jumping and repeating - 1 year of soreness and stretching and yoga and crossfit and dialed in diet - to get to where I and you have a complete understanding of what it means to eat right, then eat wrong and see the difference in performance. To work out hard, and rest and repeat, and see the gains however large or small (sometimes not at all). That's what it takes to get a base.

Now I am fine tuning the diet and everything else: my olympic lifting movements, my running, my pullups, my squat -- all this is coming together to help me reach my fitness goals and make me a more proficient and effective athlete.

My body (and more importantly my mind) are able to withstand more pain and punishment than before, thereby allowing me to make solid gains and lower my times across the board. In some WOD's I have only improved by seconds (Elizabeth) and while in others I have shaved MINUTES off my time (Fran, 100 wall ball shots for time), Kelly...

I'm moving on up!!! Where are you going? Let's go!

CrossFit Central

Yes, I am now a trainer at CrossFit Central! This is something I have wanted to do for a long while now - ever since I knew that CrossFit was going to be a big part of my life... I have been shadowing Lance and Big Mike for the past month, learning the ropes and picking up on their training methods and techniques. Needless to say I have had to change my sleep patterns drastically... but I am thoroughly enjoying giving back to people what CrossFit has given to me.

I feel that my two jobs (working at lululemon athletica and now CFC) compliment each other perfectly. Both are in the business of elevating the world from mediocrity to greatness - and that's what it's all about, right?!

My challenge now is to stay on top of my diet... Although I am eating all the right foods (ok ok I definitely cheat sometimes) the quantities are all off. I should be drinking a lot more water, for one, and I should be eating more regularly throughout the day . With a busy schedule, this will be my biggest challenge!

See you all at CFC soon!

beeeen a while!

Qualifiers: Done and done.

One week ago (feels longer than that...) I competed in the Crossfit Southwest Regional Qualifiers... What an experience!  Although I ended up placing 60 out of about 120 males (not exactly what I was hoping for) the experience and fun was much more than I had anticipated.

The first WOD was:

3 Rounds for time of:

10 squat clean and anyway overhead @ 155#; 500 m row.

Time: 18:47.

The second WOD was:

50 chest to bar pullups; 50 burpees.

Time: 7:38.

The third WOD was:

21-15-9 of:

Box jumps @ 24"; Kettlebell swings @ 24 kg; Sumo deadlift highpulls @ 95 lbs.

(During this workout I was awarded a 10 burpee penalty for dropping the bar...)

Needless to say I now know where I stand... Three of the people that train me (Lance, Carey and Crystal) qualified to go to the Crossfit games in Aromas, CA. There is no doubt they will all do well and compete for top honors. 

On Friday (5-8-09) I got my body comp (179 lbs. and 8.5% body fat) -- and then did a WOD of:

As Many Man-Makers as Possible in 15 min... I got 39.

I took it easy this week... not too hard on the workouts, and eating whatever I want. tomorrow is Monday, a new week -- I will start back with the strict and intense workouts (3 days on, 1 day off) and get back on top of my diet (clean clean CLEAN!).

I know what has to be done. Time to do it. CrossFit games 2010.

The Qualifiers are here!!!

I leave tomorrow morning for the qualifiers in Ft. Worth. This is what I've been training for... This is what I've been eating for and sacrificing for. Gotta get some good rest, eat right, get my mind right, and GO.

Last Workouts

4-24: lulu yoga + jump rope.

4-25: --

4-26: Bikram.

4-27: Kettlebell WOD: 3 rounds of 3 minutes (1 minute each exercise): 

KB swing @ 24 Kg; KB Clean (ground to shoulder); KB Sumo Deadlift Highpull.

4-28: Bikram.

4-29: Hot Vinyasa.

4-30: -- 

Last couple of workouts!

Saturday (04-18-09):

4 rounds for time of:

10 dumbbell thrusters (45 pound dumbbells)

10 burpees

30 situps

Time: 9:04.

Sunday: 

100 m sprint (x8).

Then: 3 rounds (3 minutes each) of:

6 pushups; 9 knees to elbows.

Then: Tabata squats for 8 rounds.

Monday: 

5 thrusters @ 115

5 thrusters @135

5 thrusters @145

5 thrusters @155

5 thrusters @165 (last 2 =fail)

Tuesday: 

As Many Rounds As Possible in 20 minutes of:

2  muscle ups

4 handstand pushups

8 kettlebell swings @ 2 pood (32 kilograms).

Rounds: 7 and change.

Wednesday: REST.

Today (04-23-09):

21-15-9

Burpees; Deadlifts @ 275-225-225; Box Jumps @ 24 in.

Time: 12:58.

10 days...

...until the regional qualifiers in Ft. Worth.

Seneca and words of Stoicism

"Count your years and you’ll be ashamed to be wanting and working for exactly the same things as you wanted when you were a boy. Of this make sure against your dying day - that your faults die before you do.”

Wednesday: Yoga. 

Thursday: 

1-1-1-1-1 Shoulder Press: Max 155 lbs.

3-3-3-3-3 Push Press: Max 180 lbs. 

5-5-5-5-5 Push Jerk: Did not do. 

Friday: Rest. 

Monday and Tuesday's WODs.

Monday: 

3 rounds for time: 

400 m run; 15 pull-ups; 7 hang cleans @ 135 lbs. 

Time: 9:26.

Tuesday:

As Many Rounds As Possible in 20 minutes of:

5 over-head squats @ 95 lbs; 10 burpees; 15 pull-ups.

Rounds: 7 + over-head squats + 2 burpees.

This. Is. It.

This makes me want to get on the field, lace up my boots and play again. There is no greater feeling (in my opinion) than going head to head with someone else to test your strength, speed, and skill against his -- to see who has trained longer, harder, and sacrificed more to achieve one thing: VICTORY. 

Get Some.

Give a man a fish and he can eat for one meal. Teach a man to fish, and he can eat for a lifetime.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCFZoqmKf5M&feature=player_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8WA5wcaHp4&feature=player_embedded

Here are two great videos that were just posted by my friends Big Mike and Lance from CrossFit Central. They explain clearly and concisely the what and why of eating a Paleo-based diet. Is it to perform better? Well, I sure hope that is one of the positive side effects. But more importantly, eating this way will ensure health now and later. It is preventative health care -- without the doctors. 

Doctors do a hell of a job helping us, and we do need them in our society. Perhaps we just need them a little less... We as a society have gone from turning to them in times of emergency and illness to turning to them for a cough and a sniffle...

For the most part, doctors (our entire health-care system really) treat the symptoms. You have a cough? Here: take these pills to get rid of it. You have diabetes? Here: take these pills to control your insulin. You have cancer? Here: take...   You see where I'm going, don't you. 

It's like giving a homeless man some pocket change. It might help get him his next meal at McDonald's, but will it get him any closer to getting off the street and back to functioning in our society? Sadly, the answer is no. Give a man a fish and he can eat for one more meal. Teach a man to fish, and he can eat for a lifetime.

What we should do -- what doctors should do -- is practice and preach preventative health care. But what does this mean? This means we start educating our children early in life on how to eat and live so that later on they WON'T HAVE that cough, diabetes, or cancer to deal with. Instead of dishing out medicine, why not educate on different ways to eat healthy and get exercise? Why don't we prevent the health maladies of our society through healthy living: stop treating the symptoms, and start getting to the root of why we are so unhealthy. Let's change the causes to see different effects.

One more thing: Name me one mammal (besides human beings) that drinks milk after infancy. What? You can't? That's because there are none. Yes, milk provides protein, calcium, etc. but we as a species have only ben drinking milk for the last 10,000 years. Our bodies are not made to do this. 

Some R-E-S-T!

Last week's WOD (Thursday):

150 Wall-ball for time (20# ball):

Time: 8:06.

Friday, Saturday= Rest. Sunday= Bikram.

Becoming Batman

This is an old post from CrossFit Balboa's blog:

Becoming Batman 

Last week we discussed a new book by E. Paul Zehr called Becoming Batman. The premise of the book is to take a look at the genetic traits and physical demands that it would take to make someone a superhero. I consulted with resident superhero expert, Jason Davis, to critique the book.

As a young boy growing up I was always fond of comic books and superheroes. My imagination would run wild as I went on adventures with Superman, Spiderman, Batman and countless others. Yet only one of those heroes has been able to captivate and inspire me to this very day, and that hero is Batman.

Why Batman? Simple, he’s human. He wasn’t bitten by a radioactive spider that gave him arachnid like abilities, he was not gifted with alien powers that allowed him to fly or shot-put a 747. No, Batman is an ordinary (albeit wealthy ) human being that does the extraordinary day in and day out. Batman forged himself through years of hard work, training and will power (esp willpower) effectively representing the pinnacle of human physical achievement. So does that mean that you or I are capable of reaching these heights? Possibly, let’s look a little deeper into what actually makes Batman the Batman.

Part 1: Genetics

As a trainer and a coach I have always heard clients/random people around  the gym make some remark akin to “I can’t get lean, strong or big...it’s just not part of my genetics” Well how big of a role do genetics actually play in your quest to become the Dark Knight? The answer may surprise you...

At some point in your life you have probably (hopefully) attempted some sort of an activity that combined a movement and physical ability (eg. Snatch, sprint, kipping pull-up, martial arts, etc) and you probably had some measure of success with it. In fact depending on your decision to pursue the 10,000 hrs (http://www.crossfitbalboa.com/blog.php?id=1129&month=2009-01) of practice needed to master said activity, you either got pretty good at it or gave it up altogether. It takes a considerable amount of discipline to not only become but to maintain your proficiency in any kind of physical skill. So what role do your genes play in it all? To understand we have to take an imaginary look at ourselves under a microscope so we can see the basic building block that we are all made of; the cell.

Cell’s have three main parts: the cell membrane, cytoplasm, and the nucleus. The nucleus houses your DNA which play the determining role in which of your physical traits, or phenotypes, that your body expresses. Yet, that is only half of the story since one has to factor in dominant and recessive expression. Remember that genes communicate a number of different things about you. Things you can see (hair and eye color) and things you can’t (likelihood of developing cancer or crone’s disease) like genes can take on certain forms called alleles and the set of alleles that a person has for a certain gene is called the genotype. Within the genotype alleles may be dominant or recessive. If you have at least one dominant allele for a certain trait , that will be expressed or shown. The recessive trait will be expressed only if you have recessive alleles in both pairs.

It is important to realize that your genes (genotype) and the actual physical manifestation of those genes (phenotype) are not always the same thing. I mean have you ever noticed how two generally unattractive parents can create a really attractive kid? Weird right...This is also the reason that your mom has blue eyes and your dad’s eyes are brown but your eyes are green. It’s all thanks to the way that dominant and recessive genes were paired together at your conception.

So, now that we have a small understanding of what your genes are actually responsible for. Let’s take a look at how they influence body type. Why is body type of consequence? Well for starters part of the reason that Batman is such an effective crime-fighter is because he looks intimidating. Because of his muscular powerful build, criminals (known for being cowardly and superstitious) are immediately scared of him since his body implies the amount of damage he can do if he got his hands on them. Using “somatotopy” (literally body categories) science says that human bodies fall into three categories: ectomorphic, endomorphic, and mesomorphic. Ectomorphs have slim bodies and difficulty gaining weight. Endomorphs have thicker bodies and gain weight (esp fat) easily, and mesomorphs are in between ecto and endomorphs with a strong predisposition for gaining muscle mass. Obviously, most people don’t fit neatly into one category, most of us would be blends. Did you notice how, at the beginning of this paragraph, I used the word “influence” to describe the extent that genetics factored into our bodies? Well you have to consider that Batman wasn’t born yolked but rather his body is just reflecting his response to training.

Consider this, as human beings we share 99% of our genetic coding. 99%! Holy double helix! That means that all of our differences from height to weight and body types come from a measly 1% . Incredible that all of our individualism comes from that tiny little number. This  knowledge will be useful in our upcoming discussion of nature versus nurture. Since our desire for extreme physical performance is indeed a part of how our bodies respond to vigorous exercise, how much of that response is because of heredity and much of it is environmental? How much of our DNA defines us and how much of our experiences decide who we are? Surely, we are a product of this EXTREMELY complex relationship. A key thing to realize would be that genetic influences are often quite specific and can only be maximized in certain specific situations. For example, if you have an inherent capacity to respond to strength-training exercise, it may only be for a specific type of exercise. Meaning that just because your body adapts well to Thrusters it does not mean that you will adapt so easily to long distance running.

The argument of nature versus nurture is a messy one with no clear cut resolution. Would Bruce Wayne have devoted himself so rigorously to training so that he could become Batman if his parents had never been brutally murdered in front of him? Hard to say, maybe he would’ve been more like the shallow billionaire playboy that he pretends to be in front of the public. Who knows? I do think it is safe to say that his genetics gave him a certain inclination towards certain activities but his environment fostered his burning desire to be the hero that he is. In fact, If he had never applied himself to the dedicated training program that he went through for years I can tell you that somersaulting off of rooftops and fighting crime would not be part of his daily to-do list. In a study adapted from McArdle et al in the book Essentials of Exercise Physiology. It was discovered that many factors that are key to physical performance have approximately 20 to 30% genetic contribution. For example muscle strength and aerobic fitness both have about 30% genetic contribution to your current fitness status today. Remember, that the Batman had some physical predisposition to becoming who he is (just like you have some predisposition to becoming who you are) but It was not set in stone!

Lastly remember this, most of our traits are a complex mixtures of nature AND nurture. Diet and exercise plays just as  important roles in our quest to emulate the Batman. In fact in a story from the graphic novel “Child of Dreams” an evil genius was stealing DNA samples from crime scenes where Batman battled members of his rogue gallery in an effort to create clones to defeat him. But after Batman defeated all of them he said, memorably, “ A man isn’t just his DNA… he’s his intellect, his experiences… You’re not Batman…You’re not the things I experienced, the event’s that shaped me.” Bravo.

Renegade runnin'

WOD:

2 rounds for time:

800 m run; 25 renegade rows (1 push up, right arm row, left arm row=1)@ 45 lbs.

Time: 12:15.

6.6%

Went in on Sunday to get my body comp! 

Weight: 176.

Body Fat: 6.6%.

WOD yesterday(04-06-09): 

10 rounds for time: 

3 clean and jerks (with burpee); 10 in and outs on parallettes.

Time: 16:16. 

Fittest Games Championship

Well, today was the big day. The test. Thursday I went to a Pilates class for lululemon, and yesterday I didn't do anything but... yep: rest. The championship was a blast -- tons of spectators, great atmosphere, and elite athletes. I definitely have some work to do if I'm gonna compete with these guys. I was definitely in the fastest heat (the heat I wanted) with Kris Kepler and Jarrod Freshour (who came in 1st and 2nd in the prelims, respectively). I ended up placing 14/21 with a combines time of 27:56 for both workouts.

First workout

4 rounds for time of:

400 m run; 5 chest to bar pull ups; 10 push ups; 15 squats @ 115 lbs.

Time: 12:14.

Second Workout

500 m row

10 full squat cleans @ 155 lbs.

2 chest to bar pull ups

8 fsc

4 pu

6 fsc

6 pu

4 fsc

8 pu

2 fsc

10 pu

500 m row.

Time: 15:42.

The second workout was by far one of the most challenging workouts I have done yet. A brutal combination of strength and endurance. The qualifiers for the CrossFit Games in Dallas are only a month away (May 1st, 2nd and 3rd). Now it's time to re-focus and plan the next month!

Paleo-zone, supplements, and crushing WOD's. That's all there is to it.

preparation and tweaking the diet

yesterday i partook of some Bikram Yoga to loosen me up (it's still exhausting, but worth it) and today's WOD was:

Squats 5-5-5-5-5:

135/155/185/205/225.

Tried to take it a bit easy today... Also, I'm gonna change up my diet as per instructions of Big Mike G. over a XFit Central. 50% of my daily carb intake will be directly post-workout. Gonna double the fats and up the proteins as well. I'm cutting dairy out of my diet (s.o.b.) and am going to move from Zone to Paleo Zone: starting today. 

Let's see where this takes me!

This Saturday is the Championship -- the workout is supposedly coming out today... 

and i'm back in the game!

so i took it relatively easy last week... i think my body has needed some prolonged rest and recuperation. last tues. and wed. were WOD days, followed by Bikram on thurs. and fri., another yoga class on saturday and nothing on sunday. yesterday i hit up CrossFit Central to take on Angie! now it's all about recovery, rest, and preparation for the Fittest Games Challenge Championship this Saturday!

Angie:

100 pullups; 100 pushups, 100 situps; 100 squats.

Time: 19:22.

not bad considering it was my first Angie Rx'd.

are you a sheep, a wolf or a sheepdog?

"If you have no capacity for violence then you are a healthy productive citizen, a sheep. If you have a capacity for violence and no empathy for your fellow citizens, then you have defined an aggressive sociopath, a wolf. But what if you have a capacity for violence, and a deep love for your fellow citizens? What do you have then? A sheepdog, a warrior, someone who is walking the hero's path. Someone who can walk into the heart of darkness, into the universal human phobia, and walk out unscathed."

Excerpt from LTC (Ret) Dave Grossman's Blog: 

"On Sheep, WOlves, and Sheepdogs"

http://crossfitoneworld.typepad.com/crossfit_one_world/2009/03/rest-in-peace.html

gotta get mah mind right!

lately i've felt tired... not performing like i think i should at this point. some of it is definitely mental. i have to start getting my mind back in it. the other part is physical: i definitely peaked at the right time for the Fittest Games Challenge. but now i have to do it again for the Championship. and then again for the big one: the XFit Games Regional Qualifier. i just found out the event will be sold out! holy fuck. really gotta step up my game and dial in the diet. no more pussyfooting around. strict diet and killing the WOD's. 

today was max squat. 3 months ago i maxed out at 305 lbs.

Today: 275 lbs. I'm definitely more fit, but I've lost some brute strength...

Daaaaaaaaamn...

sucking wind

First workout after vacation: 

3 rounds for time of:

400 m; 

10 push ups; 10 sit ups; 10 dead lifts @ 45 lb. 

dumbbells; 10 power cleans @ 45 lb. dumbbells; 

10 push press @ 45 lb. dumbbells;

400 m.

Time: 14:40.

Today's WOD:

50, 40, 30, 20 box jumps;

50, 40, 30, 20 walking lunges;

10, 10, 10, 10, renegade rows @ 35 lbs.

Time: 15:07.

Less than 2 WEEKS til the Fittest Games Championship... gotta go gotta go!

ahhh the great outdoors

just got back from a 4 day vacation to Big Bend National Park and Terlingua -- a much-needed get away!  lots of driving, lots of hiking, 2 nights in the middle of nowhere with nothing to look at but the stars... nice.

last WOD was last Wednesday:

5 rounds for time of:

400 m run; 20 kettlebell clean and press @ 24 kg.

Time: 16:20.

gotta push past this plateau

i'm not performing where i think i should be at this point... i've hit a small physical/mental barrier due to lots of super intense training sessions stacked one on top of the other. 

i'm going to double my intake of fats to up my energy during the WOD's to see if that helps. gotta crush the WOD's... especially the one like today with lots of running...

WOD: 

800 m run; 

4 rounds of: 25 push ups; 25 deadlifts @ 135 lbs; 25 double unders; 25 sit ups;

800 m run.

Time: 21:13.  Needs to be 19:00.

late night WOD

I felt tired tonight... a little dehydrated perhaps.

3 rounds for time of:

25 burpees; 25 sit ups; 400 m run.

Time: 12:44.

"Set yourself on FIRE and they will come from

 all over and everywhere to watch you BURN..."

tah

tough as hell...

03-14-09 WOD:

5 rounds for time of

9 hang squat cleans @ 135 lbs; 25 pull ups.

Time: 20:50.

An interesting observation by Mr. London:

As for the primitive, I hark back to it because we are still very primitive. How many thousands of years of culture, think you, have rubbed and polished at our raw edges? One probably; at the best, no more than two. And that takes us back to screaming savagery, when, gross of body and deed, we drank blood from the skulls of our enemies, and hailed as highest paradise the orgies and carnage of Valhalla. - JACK LONDON

dang

...something about this song. i like their stuff. different.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2YnDlEMXiU 

the WTF?!?! WOD

Yesterday I took my "rest" day by going to Bikram... then we took a road trip to San Antonio to watch the Lakers stomp the Spurs - but unfortunately didn't get home until midnight, which didn't give me much time to rest up for...

So I show up this morning @ 6:30 to CrossFit & Fearless down south, and my good friend Jeff thinks it would be nice to give us a super WOD.

Warmup: 

10 min on rowing machine, then: 

40 air squats, 30 sit ups, 20 push ups, 10 pull ups (x2);

15 glute-ham situps, 10 shoulder press @ 45 lbs (x2).

Workout:

50, 40, 30, 20, 10 of:

Push press @ 65 lbs;

Box jumps @ 36 in;

Overhead kettlebell swings @ 1.5 pood (24 kg). 

Time: 28:34.

Longest MetCon workout I've had in a while... but I needed it.

Shoulder Smolder

my shoulders are toast...

WOD: 5 rounds for time:

5 hand stand push ups; 

10 push jerks @ 115 lbs; 

400 meter run.

Time: 16:17.

Gonna sleep like a baby...

Saw this on Lance's blog and like it...

“Go heavy. So instead of chasing an improvement in your Angie time of 4 seconds, try performing a workout you know and rock–at a load where your time begins to significantly drop off. Can you perform 30 clean and jerks with 135 lbs in under three minutes? Shame on you.That load should be 155 or 185 pounds. Go out and start failing all over again. And this time make it heavy, because everyone is getting good at runnin’ and chinnin’.
After all, in case you’ve forgotten, 225 is the new 135.”       --Kelly Starett

... and the results are in!

The Fittest Games Challenge took place this past weekend here in beautiful Austin, TX --  the competition was a little bigger (pun intended) than I thought it was going to be, but I did well, placing 13th out of 31 Elite Male Competitors. 

Good enough to get me into the Fittest Games Challenge Championship April 4th.

1st workout: 7:49.

2nd workout: 11:04.

Total: 18:53.

I took Sunday and Monday off because... I needed it. But I'm back on it -- strict zoning and crushing the WOD's. 

Today's kettlebell WOD: As Many Rounds As Possible in 15 minutes of:

10 Box jumps; 10 KB snatches @ 16 kg; 100 m run; 10 KB figure 8's with uppercut.

Rounds completed: 10.

Looking forward to April 4th and May 2nd and 3rd. Big stuff coming up! 

It's on like Donkey Kong!

YEE HAW!!!

The workout has been announced for the Fittest Games Challenge!

WO#1: 4 Rounds for time (20 min. cut off) of:

10 Deadlift @ 225 lbs.

10 Push Ups

15 Pull Ups

WO#2: 5 Rounds for time (20 min. cut off) of:

7 Any Way Overhead (shoulder press, push press, push jerk) @ 135 lbs.

400 Meter Run.

A lost battle is a battle one thinks one has lost. 
Jean-Paul Sartre 

Another monster WOD...

"Alexander the Great, when he sailed into Asia, 

disembarked his infantry and then set his entire 

navy ablaze in the harbor. The only way home 

meant a march across land and through 

the enemy: victory or death." 

CrossFit Central WOD (workout of the day):  

"Linda" A.K.A. The Three Bars of Death...

1/2 body weight (I weigh 172 lbs; I used 90 lbs) for:

10 deadlift, 10 shoulder press, 10 full squat cleans...

then 9,9,9 - 8,8,8 - 7,7,7 - 6,6,6 - 5,5,5 - 4,4,4 - 3,3,3 - 2,2,2 - 1,1,1.     

Time= 13:10.

And to finish up: 25 situps, 25 body weight russian twists, 100 m sprint...

then 20, 20, sprint - 15,15, sprint - 10, 10, sprint - 5, 5, sprint. 

Time= 5:00.

Let's see if I can recover in time for Saturday :-) 

The Fire in the Darkhorse...

The Fire is UNPREDICTABLE.

This is the ace up my sleeve...  

Workout today:  

1 Rep Max Deadlift: 325.

1 Rep Max Shoulder Press: 155.

Getting stronger by the day, but still a lot of work to do!

Fittest Games

 “Catch on fire with enthusiasm and people will 

come for miles to watch you burn.”                     

 --John Wesley

This Saturday is the Fittest Games Challenge at CrossFit Central. 3,2,1...

                                                

Today (03-02-01): Rest Day.

Yesterday (03-01-09): Bikram Yoga... ahhhhh...

Success!

I started a program 8 weeks ago through CrossFit Central called "I Am Crossfit."  The premise of the program was to see what kind of results one could attain following a strict diet (The Zone, of course...) and training as much as their body would allow (I followed a 3 on, 1 off schedule).  I have never followed a "diet" per se, but have for the most part always eaten more or less healthy foods (minus the 4 years abusing my liver at Stetson U)...

I had no expectations when I started January 3rd.  I wanted to use the 8 weeks as an experiment - an experiment with my body - to see where I could get and what kind of results I could achieve.  I have been an elite athlete at the college level: I went into my freshman year of college at 190 lbs., able to bench press 275 lbs. and squat 1 1/2 times my body weight 20 times.  I could run 2 miles in 10:30. I was in shape!

But those days have long since come and gone, and at the beginning of 2009 I was not where I wanted to be physically or mentally.  The "I Am Crossfit" opening workout and body assessments (lots of measurements were taken, but these are the most telling): 

Height: 6'0"

Weight: 182.4

Body Fat: 9.4 %

Waist: 33.5

Workout: 3 rounds of: 400m run; 15 pull-ups; 7 hang cleans @ 95lbs = 11:45. 

Blegh.

So started the diet and the workouts... They were both frustrating at first (my body had to adapt to the new foods and quantities I was giving it) and the workouts were brutal.  But by week 3 I could already see results.  I was getting a little more definition (I could see my abs for the first time in 6 years) and I was getting stronger.  

Fast forward to 28 February, 2009. 

"I Am Crossfit" Finale and Results:

Height: 6'0" 

Weight: 172.6

Body Fat: 7.6%

Waist: 30.5

Workout (same as above, but increased hang clean weight from 95 lbs. to 135 lbs.) = 9:23.

I was impressed.

I dropped 10 lbs. and 2% body fat, increased my weight by 40 lbs. and knocked over 2 minutes off my workout time.  No time to stop and think about it though. I've got The Fittest Games Challenge coming up this Saturday, March 7th, and the CrossFit games qualifiers May 1st, 2nd and 3rd. 

Time to go --- dial it in!

Which brings me to...

CROSSFIT.

You may or may not have heard of CrossFit.  It's hard to explain what it is, really...  Part gym, part training regimen, part hell.  Though at the same time I wouldn't consider it a or a training regimen.. and to tell the truth, I love it (not really hell).  For those who like to lift weights focusing on bi's tri's, upper back, shoulders, abs, etc. this might not be the program for you.  This is not about who is more ripped or who looks better in bikini.  This is about FUNCTION.  There is no muscle isolation; (when do you EVER use your muscles in isolation - in life or in sport?) there is only work.  

I started CrossFit back in October of 2008, introduced to it by (who else?) lululemon.  However, this past January is when I started to get serious about it.  I started eating right (Zone Diet anyone?) and have basically cut alcohol out of my diet (more on the Zone later).  I have followed a 3 day on/1 day off training schedule and have been taking the right supplements to help my body recover from the brutal workouts.  

It has been a lifestyle change - one that has shown HUGE results, gains, and changes in only 8 weeks.  I am as fit if not fitter than I have ever been in my life, but don't get me wrong, it's not easy...  

Sacrifice and hard work are the only ways to achieve your goals, and right now I have lots of goals to be achieved...

This is it: CrossFit and WORLD CLASS FITNESS in 100 words or less:

Eat meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. Keep intake to levels that will support exercise but not body fat. Practice and train major lifts: Deadlift, clean, squat, presses, C&J, and snatch. Similarly, master the basics of gymnastics: pullups, dips, rope climb, pushups, situps, presses to handstand, pirouettes, flips, splits, and holds. Bike, run, swim, row, etc, hard and fast. Five or six days per week mix these elements in as many combinations and patterns as creativity will allow. Routine is the enemy. Keep workouts short and intense. Regularly learn and play new sports.

CrossFit is by no means the last word in fitness.  It is not for everyone and is no the be-all, end-all.  It is merely one of the many methods out there.  It is however, the method that has given me back my fitness, my competitive spirit, and my mental edge.  I am a competitor and have been since an early age.  I love to compete and I love to win.  I love to put my work rate against that of others to see who is left standing at the end.  I love pushing myself until the point of exhaustion and muscle failure.

It's what lets me know I'm ALIVE...

But I would be terribly remiss to not mention the other athletic love in my life: yoga.  Like CrossFit, I was thrown into the world of yoga by lululemon (we are, after all, yoga-inspired athletic apparel ;-) and have since reaped all the benefits that a yoga-rich life can provide. 

I have found it to be the perfect balance and most important addition to any training regimen, and something every human being should practice.  It has opened all kinds of pathways in me (physical, mental, and spiritual) and has become one of the most cherished activities that I participate in.  

While I have tried just about every style out there (each has it own intricacies, benefits and purposes) I must confess (as if it were a secret...) that Bikram has quickly become my favorite.  If you are looking for a workout - both physical and mental - there is no other kind of yoga.  

For those of you not familiar with Bikram Yoga, here's the skinny: imagine a room heated to 105 Fahrenheit with 60% humidity.  Now imagine you are there for an hour and a half, moving through 26 postures designed to work not only your muscles, but also your lymphatic and digestive systems as well.  

For any athlete, this is your yoga.  The ideal way to open up and release your tight hips, hamstrings, and back.  Your body will hate you while you are there, but it will thank you in the long run. 

My first post and the big question: HOW DID I GET HERE???

How did I get here? 

It's a question often asked by many - either out of frustration or out of joy (this sucks, how did i get here? or i love it! how did i get here?)  I have been asking myself this question recently...

I guess I should start off my blog with a little bit about myself: 

I was born and raised in Houston, TX.  My parents have always supported me and been there for me since day 1, and I would most definitely not be where I am today without them.  They instilled many virtues in me and molded the foundations for who I would become.  Suffice it to say that everything I have and everything I am is due to them and I thank them for who they are. 

I grew up playing multiple sports :: everything but football -- I wasn't allowed :-( :: and when I was 10 decided I wanted to be a goalkeeper (soccer) and so started on my path to where I am now. I was afforded the opportunity to travel extensively around Texas, the US, ad the world because of soccer, and I credit this beautiful sport with putting me where I am now. It gave me my love of travel, my interest and knowledge of the world, and many other things too numerous to explain here.  

Soccer also started me on my path to learning a new language: Spanish.  Growing up playing soccer in Texas, I was surrounded by the language and the culture.  I started studying Spanish at 13, and knew immediately that I wanted not merely to become proficient, but to become fluent.  I continued studying through high school and then into college where it became my major. 

At this time I also earned a scholarship to Stetson University to play soccer for the Hatters - and my choice to go there was probably one of the best I have ever made.  I spent 4 years of my life exploring my athletic prowess, learning and studying extensively, and drinking enough alcohol to kill an army of small elephants...

So things are starting to come together: soccer, spanish, studies, parties... almost time to graduate...

What was I to do?  It was February of my senior year (I graduated in May) and I had not put out my resume, had not gone on any interviews, and had really shown no real interest in my future.  I thought I would go to law school, but that never really took off. 

I started an application to go into the Peace Corp, but then in March - much to my joy and surprise - my advisor told me of a program in Spain that would allow me to teach English in an elementary school and get paid a nice little salary for only 16 hours of work a week with no work on Friday!  I jumped at the opportunity: filled out the application, sent it in, was accepted, and before I knew it was on a plane Madrid-bound. 

I spent the next two years of my life living, working and traveling around Spain and Europe.  A dream life.  Undoubtedly two of the best, most rewarding and most fulfilling years of my life.  But all good things must come to an end...

I came back to the US in July of 2008 and worked at my second home - summer camp - like I was accustomed to doing for the summer.  But in August, camp was over and I once again had no work and no idea or real motivation for my future...

Until one day I was perusing Craigslist.com (ya, I know...) with Myriam looking for jobs (as I had been for weeks), and she pointed out one that caught her eye: "Do you like yoga, running, athletics in general?"  I thought to myself: hell ya, that's right up my alley - it must be a scam... surely too good to be true. I clicked the link and read the job offer.  It was for some company called lulamon... lulumon... oh ya: lululemon athletica -- and they were offering a position for their store.  But I had worked retail before, and was skeptical.

But I went in for an interview with a couple of cute, down-to-earth girls, and saw what it was all about, and I couldn't turn them down when they offered my a spot on the team.  How lucky I was (and am...) :-)

 

But I was out of shape.  REALLY out of shape.  3 years removed from anything even remotely resembling "training."  Once an elite athlete playing NCAA Division I Soccer, I was now a mere shadow of what I once was.  Mentally and physically I was dull and soft.  Too much living the easy life.  Too much sangria and way too many tapas.  I loved my life in Spain, but looking back, I realize I only had some of what I wanted.  I had the social life, but not the spark and challenge I was looking for.  I was about to get what I asked for...